If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Re: Recipe for Bowstring Wax?

ZZZ,

I know this isn't the answer that you're looking for, but when I was younger, one of the fathers of a friend and fellow boy scout kept bees. He once gave me and my brother a big hunk of wax. It was not filtered or pure (best I can remember), but we used it on our strings and it worked fine. I would say just put some wax in a tube and call it good. Just my two cents.

Re: Recipe for Bowstring Wax?

I googled "bowstring wax recipe". Straight beeswax works, but some people prefer a softer product. Straight beeswax does not rub into a bowstring easily without applying some heat, and it doesn't have the sticky "feel" that some people like. (I vaguely remember from shooting a reflex bow many years ago that I liked a sticky wax.)

I found one recipe that calls for beeswax, rosin, and olive oil: http://www.archers-review.com/archer...ax-for-strings Ratios of ingredients by volume: 2 parts rosin to about 1 part of bee’s wax. Adding about 1/8 part olive oil will make a softer product if desired.

Re: Recipe for Bowstring Wax?

Thanks to ALL OF YOU for your help and suggestions.

I have seen one tube of bowstring wax that was in a thumb type push up tube but it didn't have beeswax in it.

I have heard that beeswax makes the finest bowstring wax and since I have the beeswax wanted to turn it into a useful and helpful product that would remind people of the need for honey bees when they use it.

I have it in bars, but after seeing the thumb push tube I didn't think the younger generation would appreciate the beeswax unless it was in an "ease of use" consistency.

It's also going to be a challenge finding the plastic thumb push up tubes.

Please keep the suggestions coming and maybe it will inspire others too.

Inspiration for more bow string wax production could help remind the public and especially the youth of how useful our honey bees are.

Re: Recipe for Bowstring Wax?

The stuff in the tubes is usually "string makers wax" and is more sticky than normal string wax. The extra sticky helps hold things together when twisting up the string. Once the string is on the bow then tension holds it together. The tacky stuff really attracts dirt and dust when used to waterproof or lubricate the string in normal use.

A small cake of regular old bees wax is all I have ever used for keeping the string on my bows waterproof, lubricated and slick. I am sure you will not have any trouble getting it sold if you chose to.

Re: Recipe for Bowstring Wax?

What about a "lip balm" tube -- the kind that chap stick comes in? Or would that be too small? It's been a long time since I did any archery.

But, really, I do think the suggestion to pour the melted wax into miniature cupcake liners would be just fine, as long as your wax is fairly firm at room temp.

I'm really not sure it is all that important to fancy it up for the kids, unless the kids in your area are so jaded with their ipods, etc. I've met a few like that, and I am sure they wouldn't do archery regardless of what you put the bowstring wax in.

Most of the kids I know who would be interested in an archery program would be fine with a plain ol' cake of wax. If I were in your shoes, I'd keep the process simple and the cost low, so every kid can have a wax cake to use and can maybe even take it home after the program is over. That would help them get started if they get their own bow.

What you do for your bowhunting buddies is another issue -- but maybe a simple cake shape would work just fine for them too. Most of the guys in my husband's Whitetails Unlimited chapter are not too fussy about things like that either -- if the product is good, they'll use it.

Re: Recipe for Bowstring Wax?

just straight beeswax chunks to my traditional bow hunting friends. The traditional guys (longbow/recurve) want the real deal.
I have also had some rendevous buckskinner guys picking uo straight wax and using it for ball lube in their muzzleloaders and they swear by it for seasoning their cast iron cookwear.

Re: Recipe for Bowstring Wax?

I don't know if you'll read this as your post is 2 years old but I was reading it and saw you were looking for large tubes . I know of one that is a twist up that's 5" tall and 1 1/4 " in diameter. I use an arthritis pain relief roll on called ACTIVE ON Topical Analgesic and it's a 2 oz. tube, kind of like a giant chap-stick tube. It's manufactured by (Family First Pharmaceuticals) I also found another company (Wholesale Supplies Plus) that sells twist up tubes in 2 ounce sizes-Their phone # is 1-800-359-0944. Ask for 2 ounce twist up tube and top. Or you can Google Wholesale Supplies Plus and maybe order from there. When you get to their site type twist up tubes in their search bar and go to the second page at the bottom and it's there. I'm sure that would work for your honeybees wax.